Just when you thought there could be no more possible ways to pay homage to Dilla, Leonard Charles proves you wrong with funky remakes of the Drum Master’s final album. Read more below and grab part 1 HERE 

“Way down in picturesque Auckland, New Zealand, tucked inside a small basement studio, musician Leonard Charles and his friends secretly paid the ultimate tribute to the seminal release by re-recording the entire 31-track album on live instruments. Charles gives a funky reinterpretation of the tracks on live bass, drums, Hohnor clavinet, Fender Rhodes and Roland synths, but sans any sampling of the original source nor sourced material. Featuring vocals by Ruby Walsh, Anji Toy and Very Special Guest Georgia Anne Muldrow on the emotional tribute “Airworks (Forever)”.

Leonard Charles “Basement Donuts” will be released in two Volumes…Sides A & B are fifteen tracks running over 23-minutes in length available now for digital download exclusively on the HIT+RUN Bandcamp page. Look for limited-edition Cassette tapes in March [HNR60], Sides C & D [HNR62] in April, plus Vinyl coming soon as we keep J Dilla’s brilliant star shining!”